Blackboard eraser

ABSTRACT

IN GENERAL, THIS INVENTION IS A HAND-HELD DEVICE FOR CLEANING SURFACES SUCH AS BLACKBOARDS, SUCH DEVICE HAVING A DISPOSABLE CLEANING SURFACE.

1971 E. N. O VIATT BLACKBQARD ERASER Filed Feb. 4, 1969 I4 Edwin /v. Ow'atf TTORNEY United States Patent "ice 3,613,146 BLACKBOARD ERASER Edwin N. Oviatt, Crotty Ave., R0. Box 327, Brookfield, Mass. 01506 Filed Feb. 4, 1969, Ser. No. 796,521 Int. Cl. B431 21/04 US. Cl. -231 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In general, this invention is a hand-held device for cleaning surfaces such as blackboards, such device having a disposable cleaning surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The days of the little red, one blackboard schoolhouse with the little student outside clapping felt erasers is gone. In its place is the modern regional school or university with its thousands of blackboards. Needless to say, the proper cleaning of the boards, which is necessary for classroom appearance and board readability, consumes considerable custodial time. Because of the rising cost of manual labor, numerous attempts at improving the efli ciency of the techniques and equipment (which seem to have changed very little since the little red schoolhouse days) have been made, as the many patents in this area testify. Yet, a quick glance at the literature shows a distinct lack of commercial potential. The prior art devices are either too unwieldly to be efiicient, too simple to be effective, or too complicated to ever be produced at a competitive price so as to be available for commerce. These and other difliculties experienced with the prior art devices have been obviated in a novel manner by the present invention.

It is, therefore, an outstanding object of the invention to provide a blackboard eraser which is effective in cleaning blackboards.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a blackboard eraser which operates simply and quickly.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a blackboard eraser whose main body is of an extruded shape and whose construction is extremely simple, thus making inexpensive manufacture possible.

It is another object of the instant invention to provide a blackboard eraser which has an easily-disposable cleaning element.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a blackboard eraser constructed so simply that malfunction and clogging are nearly impossible.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a blackboard eraser which is as effective in actual class use as in custodial use.

With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claim appended hereto.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The character of the invention, however, may be best t understood by reference to one of its structural forms,

as illustrated by the accompanying drawings. in which:

3,613,146 Patented Oct. 19, 1971 FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention before the wiping element is brought across the resilient surface, and

FIG. 2 shows an end view of the invention showing how it is held and is ready for use.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring first to FIG. 1, the invention consists of a body 11, a resilient pad 14 bonded to the under-surface of the body and a roll of disposable paper wiping element 15. The body 11 is extruded of metal or plastic and consists of a fiat plate 12 connected to a tubular handle 13. On one edge of the plate parallel to the handle is provided a cutting edge 16. The tubular handle has a longitudinal slot 17 through which the free end 18 of the wiping element 15 can be drawn from the roll 15 inside the handle.

The use and operation of this device will now be readily understood, in view of the above description. As shown in FIG. 2, the operator grasps the handle with his right hand, and with his left hand draws the wiping material 15 from the position in FIG. 1 to that shown in FIG. 2. The end 18 is held securely under the right thumb. When the material becomes saturated with chalk, the left hand tears the exhausted material off at the cutting edge 16 and a new surface is brought into position. The old surface is disposed of. The various cleaning procedures into which this device can be incorporated are well known to those involved in the field. The wiping element 15 is of the coarse strong type normally used in paper towels; it may be impregnated with a chemical to increase its ability to retain chalk dust.

It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the material spirit thereof. It is not, however, desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described, but it is desired to include all such as properly come within the scope claimed.

The invention having been thus described, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A blackboard eraser, comprising (a) a body of uniform extrudable cross-section including a plate having a flat surface, a tubular handle mounted on a surface of the plate opposite the flat surface and adapted to receive a roll of sheet wiping material, the tubular handle having an elongated slit through which the material passes from the roll to the flat surface of the plate, and a groove provided between the said opposite surface of the plate and the handle at the side thereof opposite the slit, whereby the fingers of the user can lock the free end of the material in a stretched condition across the said other flat surface, and

(b) an elastomer pad attached to said flat surface.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,672,772 6/1928 Mund 15-231 UX 2,540,816 2/1951 Farrow 5l391 X 2,808,687 10/1957 Bown 51-391 X 2,880,442 4/1959 Shelby 15-209 X 3,034,267 5/1962 Feeney 5139l X 3,201,817 8/1965 Atchley 15-231 LEON G. MACHLIN, Primary Examiner US. (.lv X.R. 

